Vice President

Vice President Joe Biden kicked off 2015 leading a presidential delegation to Brazil for the inauguration of Dilma Rousseff as president of that country. The vice president was only in the country on New Year's Day, for the inauguration and an hour-long meeting with Rousseff before returning to St. Croix where he rejoined his family for vacation. However, documents show that vehicles for the vice president and the rest of the delegation and entourage for the duration of their stay cost an estimated $229,358:

Although contracts for foreign VIP trips are routinely posted at the government's contracting website, the documents for this particular trip provide a rare look at the breakdown of the cost. Contained within the Justification and Approval document for the Brazil trip is a listing of the types of vehicles needed, the quantity, and the cumulative number of days the vehicles were expected to be utilized. The list includes twenty-two sedans, twenty-seven 15-passenger vans, three "box" trucks, a cargo van, a 44-passenger bus, and an SUV. The prices for all the vehicles (listed in Brazilian currency) include drivers, as well.

The White House and State Department typically do not release details of the number of persons on such trips, nor the exact duration of the stay. Advance security teams and other staff who coordinate the trips arrive early and may stay after the principals have left. However, based on a daily use of twenty-two sedans and twenty-seven 15-passenger vans, the number seems likely to be in the hundreds. Since the cargo van was estimated to be in use for thirteen days, it seems likely some U.S. personnel were in the country for about two weeks surrounding the vice president's visit on New Year's Day.Details on the hotel contract for lodging for the Brazil trip were also posted. In another rarity, the vehicle cost exceeded that of the lodging. The estimated cost for lodging at the Royal Tulip in Brasilia was $191,689.The documents do not include the number of rooms required or the duration of the stay.

Vice President Joe Biden talked up the pool reporter covering him in China today to the vice president of China. According to the pool report, Biden told the Chinese VP that "he is a very important man. Seriously he is important."

Vice President Joe Biden has taken the oath of office for the second time. "At 8:21am, Joe Biden took the oath of office for a second term a Vice President, surrounded by family at the VP residence at the Naval Observatory," the pool reporter notes.

During the vice presidential debate, Paul Ryan reiterated his opposition to abortion. Joe Biden explained that he’s personally opposed to abortion but doesn’t believe in protecting the unborn. President Obama has previously expressed his own position, which might best be described as not being opposed to abortion either personally or as a matter of policy (see the first 30 seconds of this clip):

You don’t win a nationally televised debate by being rude and obnoxious. You don’t win by interrupting your opponent time after time after time or by being a blowhard. You don’t win with facial expressions, especially smirks or fake laughs, or by pretending to be utterly exasperated with what your opponent is saying.

In email to supporters, Vice President Joe Biden promises tonight to "tell the truth and stand up for what we believe in." The subject line of Biden's email reads, "My promise to you and Barack tonight."

"I told Barack I have one mission tonight: tell the truth and stand up for what we believe in," writes Vice President Biden. "Our side is always going to win when we do that."

Biden then portrays himself and President Barack Obama as underdogs. He writes, " But, Daniel, take a look at what we're up against this week:"